Off Guard
by quinnovative
Summary: It's game night and Lena's exhausted. As a result, Alex and Maggie are being big sisters, and Kara's being the softest of soft girlfriends. This is so fluffy and also a little angsty. (Supercorp and Sanvers)


**A/N:** Somebody was really, really nice to me last Thursday so I got inspired to write a super soft fic which turned a little angsty, I don't know... here it is.

Just so you know, this takes place with established Supercorp. It's set a few months in the future, so Lena, Maggie, and Alex are tight.

That's all; I hope you enjoy!

* * *

It's getting to the point that Lena's been to so many of Kara's game nights, she's starting to lose count. A smile tugs across her lips at the thought, at the flood of memories that come with it

Tonight's supposed to be a small one—just Lena, Kara, Maggie, and Alex—with the rest of the super friends too busy or too exhausted to make an appearance, and Lena gets it, she really does, because this week has been absolutely depleting at best, and somewhere downright harrowing on the worse end of things.

Monday morning had brought chaos with it—an alien attack, a break-in at L-Corp, and an abnormally large number of pileups and extraterrestrial threats. It hadn't stopped there though, because in all the mystery of L-Corp's security violation ( _nothing_ had been taken), the same group had managed to attack on Wednesday, this time avoiding all the security stops they had scouted out on Monday. They'd held Lena hostage for just short of four hours and she'd undergone her fair share of shoving, bruising, and punches, kicks, weapons waved in her face and pressed against her skin in the time spent trapped in her office. While three men took pleasure in assaulting her, their partners shifted through her lab in search of god-knows-what. She thinks Kara might have taken the whole situation worse, when Kryptonite had prevented her from swooping in and putting a stop to the violence. But everything came to end, when the door to her office finally broke open and amongst the chaos she heard Maggie and Alex's voices, and they had helped her limp out as the rest of the team took out the criminals, and then, not five minutes later, she had been in Kara's arms, reassuring the blonde that she was fine, as medics checked her over.

It has resulted in a PR nightmare on the outside, and a series of internal complications, too, as the lab had been torn to pieces, much research destroyed in the search of prototype biomedical tech they were hoping to weaponize against Supergirl, as the DEO later discovers.

The team, it appears, was sent by Lillian herself. Lena's own _mother_ sent men to hold her hostage.

Thursday is full of meetings and paperwork and pouring over documents until two in the morning when Kara all but drags Lena from the office; Lena can't sleep however, and she's up by five in the morning, at the office by six, and working straight until seven that night when her cell vibrates and pulls open her closing eyes. She raises her head from where it'd rested sleepily in her hand, locates her phone under a pile of papers.

 **Kara: How are you feeling?**

 **Kara: Still on for tonight? I totally understand if you're too tired**

Lena smiles and she's about to reply when another series of texts lights up her screen.

 **Kara: We can take it easy or I can tell Alex and Maggie you're not up for it if you want**

Kara: I don't want you to feel pressured. I know you've been busy and tired and it's really okay

Lena shakes her head, smile growing and decides she needs to respond when another set of three dots indicate Kara's on her way to sending another concerned text.

 **Lena: I'm okay, truly. Don't wait for me to start though, I'm running late. I have to finish something up and then I'll be on my way as soon as I can.**

She sends the text and is met with a reply before she can even set her phone back on the desk.

 **Kara: Perfect! Can't wait to see you 3**

Lena lets Kara's enthusiasm and warmth carry her through the last of the files she needs to look over today, before the weekend begins tomorrow, even as her eyes dip closed and her posture slips from its typically impeccable form. When she finally finishes, the clock is pushing eight and her vision is blurry as she gets out of her chair with a suppressed groan. Physically she'd come away in relatively decent shape from the hostage situation, barring a sprained ankle and some bruising across her ribs and legs, and a few cuts from broken glass that Alex cleaned and bandaged for Lena on the scene. Despite the lack of severity, she is not spared soreness that spreads through her muscles, aches as she stands and gathers her stuff. Her limbs are heavy with fatigue as she pushes open the door and shoots Kara a text saying she's finally on her way.

/

Lena stands outside Kara's apartment twenty minutes later; she's half yawning, half knocking when the door opens and she's greeted by Maggie's bright grin and loud music.

"Oh, Luthor you have no idea how happy I am to see you," Maggie says as she urges Lena inside and shuts the door behind her. "I need someone to stop the chaos. I've been outnumbered for the past hour."

The detective tilts her head toward the TV and Lena follows her gaze. There's so much going on that her eyes drift across the scene before focusing on Kara. The blonde's got a plastic guitar in her hands, fingers flying to press buttons in time with colored dots flashing across the screen; she's dancing—hips swaying, golden waves bouncing as she belts out lyrics to 'The Eye of the Tiger.' Beside her, Alex bangs away on an equally plastic drum set and Lena's temporarily confused by the matter of where any of this stuff even came from, when her thoughts are cut off when Kara stops singing to yell "Watch this, Alex!" and she's flipped the guitar behind her back, still hitting the buttons even though the instrument is behind her. The grin across Kara's face grows even wider and she spins around in her socks.

"Lena!" she squeals, breaking off mid chorus and mid spin, when her eyes fall on the CEO still observing from the doorway with Maggie. Kara wrestles the guitar strap from her shoulders and the TV beeps in protest at the missed notes, but the blonde still flings the instrument to the couch and races over and Alex groans "come on, Kara," shaking her head and muttering something that sounds suspiciously like "she is so whipped" as the imaginary crowd on TV boos their band off stage.

Despite her exhaustion, Lena finds a smile creeping across her face as Kara tugs her into a gentle hug, careful of the bruises still blooming across her abdomen. The smile only grows bigger as Alex continues grumbling and Maggie laughs at her sulking girlfriend.

"Hi," Kara says after a stretch of hugging, leaning back a little so she can look at Lena.

"Hi," Lena laughs, from a few feet over Alex yells out over the music. "We already ate, but I'll fix you a plate."

Lena calls back her thanks and although she's enjoying the company of arguably her three favorite people, the loudness is beginning to make her head hurt. From her perch on the counter beside Alex, Maggie's eyes flit over Lena as the CEO listens to Kara's animated talk. After another small flinch from Lena, Maggie grabs the remote, flicks the volume on the TV down so low that it's barely audible.

Lena's too embarrassed to express her thanks, gaze dropping toward the floor—after all these months of being showered in affection from Kara and Kara's friends ( _their_ friends, she tries to correct in her head) it still catches her off-guard sometimes—having people pay attention to her in a way that's gentle and soft and loving; having people _care._

Maggie squeezes Lena's shoulder as she passes and Lena looks up, gives Maggie a smile this time.

/

"You look tired," Maggie says, concern shining in her eyes as Alex slides a plate of Thai takeout to Lena and Kara has disappeared into her bedroom to find something more comfortable for Lena to wear and to find the games scattered across the area.

Alex nods in agreement, slips an arm around Maggie's waist. "You feel okay, Lena?"

The CEO nods, feeling every bit the difference in their ages; feeling small in a way that makes her want to be taken care of.

"How's your body holding up after Monday? Everything still healing all right?" Alex asks and receives another nod.

"Good," Alex says. "You know you can come to either of us, too, right? For anything."

Lena smiles and if Maggie or Alex notice the little quiver of the CEO's bottom lip, neither says anything and Lena's grateful that instead Alex moves to her side and gently tugs the woman's ponytail before running her fingers over dark hair.

Maggie's there, too, and she sits beside Lena, locking her warm brown eyes onto Lena's piercing green, dulled and fuzzy with fatigue. "We're worried about you," Maggie says gently.

"You don't need to worry about me, it's nothing new." Lena shakes her head, staring tensely down at her hands. Alex's hand freezes in Lena's hair, drops down to rub her shoulder as Alex moves in front of Lena, dips her head to catch the woman's gaze. "I'm just tired."

"Lena, you're part of the family now. We're always going to worry about you," Alex says and before she can even finish her sentence there are suddenly tears in Lena's eyes and spilling down her cheeks before she can even so much as breathe, and she doesn't even know why she's crying, she's just so tired, and finally— _finally—_ for the first time she can ever remember someone's called her family and it fits just right.

For once, it's not stiff or spat or superficial.

"Oh, Lena," Alex breathes out and Lena understands why Kara loves her sister so much, why she always claims Alex can fix _anything_ that feels wrong. And Lena understands why Kara brags about Maggie having a soft, calming presence that pulls everything back into perspective. Lena's known all these things, but she hasn't _felt_ them, not until now. Not until this very moment where she's sandwiched between Alex and Maggie in a warm hug and she wants to talk, wants to open up in a way she hasn't until she met Kara.

It's how she felt with Lex, before all the heartbreak and madness.

"Lena, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I don't even k-know why I'm crying. I just don't want to upset Kara," Lena mutters into soft fabric. She doesn't even know which woman's shirt she's soaking, but they both rub her back gently. "She w-was so worried and guilty about the hostage situation, I didn't want to make it w-worse by telling her I haven't been sleep-sleeping," Lena hiccups and her breath quickens.

"Breathe, Lena," Alex reminds and pulls back to look at Lena. "I know from experience what it's like to hide something from Kara, because you don't want to hurt her, but trust me, it never works. Kara's smart, she figures things out and she only ever wants to help, which by the way, she is _so_ good at."

Lena nods, because she does know. She knows what it's like to be held by Kara, to have the blonde whispering reassurances in her ear.

"Little Danvers is tough," Maggie adds.

"I know," Lena chokes out, pushes her slowing tears off her cheek. "I just don't want her to have to be tough for me, too. I-"

"Lena?"

All three women turn to see Kara standing in the doorway, games balanced in one hand, pajamas for Lena in the other.

"Go on," Maggie whispers and she and Alex release Lena from their embrace, she stumbles forward a bit and Kara closes the distance, dropping the items in her hand to the floor and sweeping Lena into a hug.

Kara looks wide-eyed over Lena's shoulder at Maggie and Alex.

"What's wrong?"

When a beat of silence passes with only Lena tightening her grip around Kara, Alex speaks up.

"Lena's had a rough week, Kar. I think it's all catching up with her."

Lena nods in agreement, grateful that Alex is able to talk when the CEO feels like she can't.

"Your girlfriend's exhausted," Maggie says and Lena nods again. "She's like the walking dead over there."

A laugh bubbles from Lena's lips against Kara's neck and the blonde hugs her close, a hand ensnaring a bundle of Lena's hair as she sways them gently. "Then we need a change of plans," Kara declares.

"We can leave if you just want to sleep," Alex offers, but Lena looks up with red rimmed eyes and flushed cheeks and shakes her head.

"I like when you guys are here," she says and uncurls from the crook of Kara's neck. "Sorry," she says, wiping her eyes and her statement evokes a groaned "Lena there's no need to apology" in three different variations.

"Do you want anything?" Kara asks, gesturing to the barely touched plate of takeout.

Lena shakes her head. "I'm honestly not very hungry right now, but I would make coffee if you have some?"

"Lena! The whole point of the changed plans are to help you relax, not keep you awake," Kara says.

"Okay fine, so no coffee," Lena says and any evidence of her prior breakdown is nearly vacant in her features, it's simultaneously impressive and heartbreaking how quickly she can reign in her emotions even with exhaustion clouding her head.

"What about hot chocolate? I'll make us some," Alex says, picks up the clothes Kara grabbed for Lena and tosses them her way. "You go change."

/

Lena returns fifteen minutes later, clad in sweatpants and a soft t-shirt. Her hair is piled up in a loose, fluffy bun on top of her head; glasses replacing contacts, face void of makeup. She smiles as Kara's fingers link with her own. After being starved of touch for so many years, Lena relishes in each moment like this that she shares with Kara; thrives under the touches Kara gives out so often, like they aren't a big deal, like they don't fill cracks inside her.

"Come sit with me," Kara says, swings the hands clasped between them as they walk and drop to sit cross-legged in front of the coffee table.

"Here you go," Alex says and places two mugs of hot chocolate in front of the pair, nearly overflowing with marshmallows.

Lena's about to express her thanks when Maggie appears with The Game of Life, in a battered box Kara knows Alex has owned since before the Kryptonian even arrived.

Kara grins at Lena. "New plan includes quiet board games that can't possibly lead to fighting."

/

They've just completed the first round when a beeping noise sounds somewhere in the apartment, Lena furrows her brows and raises her head from Kara's shoulder.

"Is that… your dryer?" Lena asks and Kara nods excitedly, eyes tracking Maggie as she disappears around the hall for a moment.

"Maggie had a really good idea while you were changing," Kara explains just as the detective returns, Kara's softest blue blanket in hand.

"Check this out, Little Luthor," Maggie says, draping the fabric around Lena, warm from having been in the dryer.

The CEO's jaw drops as she curls into the heat. "This is amazing," she murmurs and Maggie grins back as she resumes her position beside Alex.

"When I was like four years old, I had a babysitter who did this all the time, and I've never forgotten it. It's the best."

Lena nods in agreement, snuggles closer against Kara as she waits for her next turn. Her car moves across the board, round after round, eyes growing heavier with each motion, breath growing deeper and deeper until her head shifts into the crook of Kara's neck and she murmurs unintelligible words sleepily.

"Look at you, Little Luthor, you can barely keep your eyes open," Maggie says and a small smile curls across Lena's face.

" 'm tired," she mumbles and her breath is hot against Kara's collarbone, and the blonde rubs slow circles across Lena's back, and her fingers stroke Lena's hair, and Lena is warm and content and curled around Kara as the dark behind her eyelids grows darker and the soft teases around her fade out.

/

"No way in hell!"

"Uh yeah, read 'em and weep."

"Bullshit."

"This whole game is absolute bullshit."

"Who gives a damn about any of this anyway? This is stupid! I shouldn't have to give you money."

"Too bad. Sucks to suck, hand it over."

"Bullshit. You can't make me."

Lena rubs her eyes, loose fist dragging across her face. At some point her head had drifted from Kara's shoulder to the pillow situated in her lap. She uncurls herself, stretching her legs from where they'd been tucked against her chest.

"It's in the rules!"

"Well that's dumb as hell."

"Well guess what, I didn't make the damn rules, Maggie," Alex says.

"Kind of seems like you did," Kara shoots back.

"Okay, listen the hell up, it's not my fault that you—"

Lena sits up, blinking slowly, heavily. Her sudden presence dispels some of the quickly mounting tension in the room and cuts off Alex's speech; although, it's impossible to miss the dirty look Maggie shoots Alex and the eye roll the agent sends in return.

"Hey, sorry for waking you," Kara says softly. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. So much for not fighting," Lena murmurs and Kara tugs Lena into her side, wears a grin.

"We tried our best," Kara says, smiling down at Lena. "You should go to bed."

Lena mumbles a weak form of protest, melts back into Kara's touch. Across the table Alex cleans up the game and pokes Maggie's side. "We should get going."

" _Yeah_ , before you cheat again," Maggie says, but this time a smirk lights up her features.

"C'mon, you sore loser," Alex teases as she stands and pulls Maggie up to her feet.

Lena and Kara follow suit, and Lena rests heavily against her girlfriend, both arms curled around Kara's elbow, head on the blonde's shoulder.

"Are you sure you two don't want to crash here?"

Alex shakes her head. "We should get home."

Maggie nods in agreement, suddenly looking exhausted herself as she twists her arm around Alex's waist.

"Goodnight, Kar. I love you," Alex says, presses a kiss to her sister's forehead.

"Love you, too."

Then Alex presses a kiss to Lena's hair and Maggie rubs her shoulder, tells her to get some rest, and even through her sleep induced haze, Lena thinks her heart is close to exploding with love.

Then Maggie and Alex say goodnight to her and say they love her and as the door is closing she parrots the words back and it feels like shimmering gold on her lips.

"Lena, listen to you," Kara says, grinning proudly, she knows how much it means every single time someone tells Lena they love her; knows it's important every time Lena says it back.

She smiles shyly, ducks her head against Kara's chest. "Alex called me family earlier."

Kara rests her chin on Lena's head and beams. "Well, of course. You _are_."

"I know, I just never expected it. It… it catches me off guard," Lena says as Kara leads them into the bedroom.

"Someday it won't," Kara promises and Lena crawls under the covers, lets her girlfriend take her into her arms. "I'll make sure of that."


End file.
